Door stop apparatus



June 16, 1964 c. HOWARD 3,137,025

DOOR STOP APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1961 CHARLES /-/o WA I20 INVENTOR.

3,137,025 DGOR STOP APPARATUS Charles Howard, 1137 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, (Ialif. Filed Nov. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 152,545

3 Ciaims. (C1. 16-83) This invention relates generally to door stops and more particularly to a novel door stop apparatus for conventional hinged doors to prevent injuries to the fingers and hands of children.

A common injury to children at home is the mashing of their fingers between the door frame and the edge of a door, particularly the hinged edge. Many times a child will insert his fingers into the opening between the door and frame and a wind will inadvertently cause the door to close and the great force exerted at the door edge due to the pivotal mounting of the door will cause serious injury to the fingers of the child. A common method of preventing the complete closure of the door consists of inserting a wedge between the door and the frame or between the door and the floor. However, this has proved ineffective as, in addition to the fact that the child may easily remove the wedge, it requires manual United States Patent removal and insertion every time the door is moved.

Further, the mere insertion of a permanent obstruction to door closure prevents normal use of the door. Other attempts to prevent this hazard have resulted in door stop means that are complicated in design, expensive in cost and require extensive installation resulting in considerable permanent marring of the door when removed.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to eliminate the disadvantages of prior door stop means and yet provide maximum protection to the children.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide door stop apparatus that, when activated, will automatically become operative when the door is opened and prevent complete closure of the door.

A further specific object of the present invention is to provide door stop apparatus that canbe easily attached and operated and will not cause damage to the door or other structural members associated with the door.

Still a further specific object of the present invention is to provide door stop apparatus that cannot normally be tampered with by a child.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided door stop apparatus of simple and economical construction for ready attachment to the hinged end of a door and adjacent components thereof whereby the door, once opened, is prevented from complete closure by the automatic placement of an obstruction member between the hinged edge of the door andthe adjacent door frame. The invention contemplates stop apparatus selectively capable of assuming threepositions, namely, a completely inoperative position whereby the door 'may be fully opened and closed without any activation of the stop apparatus, an operative position wherein the door cannot be fully closed, and an activated position whereby the door may be completely closed and, upon opening, the stop apparatus will automatically assume the operative position to prevent a subsequent complete closure of the door and thereby leave a sufficient opening between the door edge and frame to prevent any injuries to fingers inserted therebetween. eluding a socket member is utilized in accordance with positional variations.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description,

Retainer means in- 3,137,025 Patented June 16, 1964 "ice taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a door assembly with one embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the operative position;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the socket member of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the retainer means with the obstruction member positioned therein and the dgor fully closed;

FIGURE 4 is a reduced size top sectional view of the door assembly with the obstruction member in the operative position preventing complete closure of the door;

FIGURE 5 is a top view of another embodiment of the socket member;

FIGURE 6 is a reduced fragmentary perspective view of a door assembly illustrating another embodiment of the present invention;

. FIGURE 7 is a front sectional view of one embodiment of the obstruction member positioned within the retainer means.

With reference to FIGURE 1, a conventional door 10 is illustrated pivotally mounted to a door frame 18 by a plurality of hinges, such as hinge 14, secured to a vertical door edge 16 and the adjacent vertical door frame portion 12 of the frame 18. A conventional moulding 19 is afiixed in the doorway to the frame 18 and extends on the sides and top thereof for engagement with the marginal face 15 of the door 10 when fully closed. Door stop apparatus 22 is illustrated in the operative position affixed in the upper portion of the door 10 and an adjacent vertical moulding portion 20 of moulding 19. This attachment is effected as hereinafter described at the hinged end of the door 10 and adjacent components in the upper portion thereof above the normal reach of children thereby preventing their tampering with the stop apparatus 22.

The door stopv apparatus comprises a flexible support 28 affixed at its upper end to the door edge 16, horizontally located substantially mid-way thereof, an obstruction member 30 aflixed at the bottom end of support 28 and retainer means 26 afiixed to moulding 20.

Member 30 is a ball or body of resilient material such as rubber or the like and firmly attached to the bottom end of support 28 by any conventional method such as inserting a nail (not shown) into member 30 and tieing support 28 thereabout. In the preferred embodiment, support 28 is a string with a loop formed at its top end to facilitate its securement to edge 16 by attaching member 32 which, as illustrated, may be a conventional thumb tack. The important consideration in eifectuating the securement of support 28 to edge 16 is that attaching member 32 should not project outwardly from edge 16 to such a distance that it will interfere with complete closure of door 10.

Retainer means 26 comprises a socket 34 and a plate 36. The plate 36 is provided with an aperture 38 at the top thereof and an aperture 40 at the bottom thereof through which conventional screws 41 are inserted for attachrnent of the plate 36 to the moulding 20 so that the plate 36 is substantially vertically oriented as illustrated. The central portion 42 of the plate 36 is offset from the moulding and provided with a vertical groove 44.

With reference to FIGURE 2, the socket 34 comprises a ring 46 having an inner diameter less than the diameter of member 30, a neck 48 extending radially from ring 46 and sized less than the width of the groove 44, a shoulder 50 extending from both sides of the neck 48 and a base 52extending perpendicularly downward from shoulder 50.

In the preferred embodiment, the socket 34 is fabricated:

means 26 to the moulding 21'), the ring 46 and the neck 48 are inserted through the groove 44, and the socket 34 is rotated 90 degrees so that the ring 46 is horizontally oriented.

With reference to FIGURE 3, when the plate 36 is firmly aifixed to the moulding 2t), inasmuch as the distance from an edge 54 of the shoulder 59 to an edge 56 of the base 52 is slightly greater than the offset of the central portion 42, the socket 34 will vertically be held in position due to surface contact of the central portion 42 against the edge 54 and the moulding 20 against the edge 56. These parts are sized, however, so that the socket 234 may with ordinary hand force be vertically slid within the groove 44 to the activated position, as shown, whereby the socket 34 is at the bottom of the groove 44 and to the inoperative position, indicated in dotted lines, whereby the socket 34 is at the top of the groove 44.

In the activated position, as shown, with the socket 34 at the bottom of the groove 44, the member 30 is seated within the ring 46 and the door is fully closed. The plate 36 is positioned on the vertical moulding 20 that, when the socket 34 is in the activated position, the distance between the attaching member 32 and the ring 46 is less than the extended length of the support 28 and these measurements are sized in relation to each other whereupon the slight opening of the door 10 causes the support 28 to become taut and pull the member 30 out of the ring 46. Inasmuch as the member 30 is free to pendulate about the attaching member 32, the force of gravity upon the member 30 will tend to urge it into a position whereby it becomes disposed between the edge 16 and the frame 12 and thus automatically assumes its operative position.

Socket 34 is illustrated in the inoperative position indicated in dotted lines at the top of groove 44 with member 30 seated within ring 46. The length of groove 44 is such that, when socket 34 is positioned in the upper portion thereof, the distance between attaching member 32 and ring 46 when door 10 is fully opened is less than the extended length of support 28 so that door 10 may be fully opened and closed without any activation or operation of the stop apparatus 22.

With reference to FIGURES 1 and 4, the member 30 is illustrated in the operative position whereby the door 10 is prevented from complete closure. As heretofore described, when the retainer 34 is in the activated position upon opening door 10, the member 30 becomes disposed in the angular opening between the edge 16 and the frame 12. Upon closing the door 10, the member 30 in the operative position acts as a wedge between the edge 16 and the frame 12, thereby causing the door 10 to remain partially ajar leaving an opening between the edge 16 and the frame 12 sufficiently large enough to prevent any mashing of fingers inserted therebetween. The size of the opening between the edge 16 and the frame 12 is governed by the size and configuration of the member 3%) which may be easily determined for any known door structure to result in the required opening to prevent any mashing. The peripheral configuration of the member 30 is such that, upon the closing of the door 10, the moulding 20 engages the member 30 and thereby assures the dis posal of the member 30 between the edge 16 md the frame 12.

It will be appreciated that the support 28 is composed of a flexible member having'resiliency so that when the door 10 is fully closed and the member 30 is seated in the socket 34, the support 28 will not be cracked or torn by being bent around the edge 16 at moulding 20 and compressed thereby. The resilient characteristic of the member 30 prevents any marring of the edge 16, the frame 12 or the moulding 21) where engagement is made with the member 30.

It is also appreciated that when the member 30 is disposed between the edge 16 and the frame 12 causing the door It) to remain partially ajar and providing an opening between the edge 16 and the frame 12 suificiently large enough to prevent mashing of fingers, there is a corresponding larger opening between the swinging edge of door 10 and the adjacent vertical frame thereby preventing any injuries at that point.

Of course, it will be realized that the door stop apparatus 22 will operate substantially as described by the use of two separate and independent sockets, each being affixed to moulding 20 and vertically spaced a distance substantially equal to the length of the groove 44 so that the upper socket will be aflixed in a position representative of the inoperative position as heretofore described, and the lower socket will be in a position representative of the activated position as heretofore described. The sockets may be a conventional screw eye 59, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, threadably altixed to moulding 20 or may be a socket substantially as illustrated in FIGURE 2 with an adhesive substance afiixed to the edge 56 whereby the sockets 34 may be pressed onto moulding 20 and will bond thereto. It is appreciated that the use of an adhesive to bond the sockets 34 to the moulding 20 will eliminate any marring to the moulding when removed and that, if the adhesive substance is of the pressure sensitive type, the socket 34 may be removed and relocated, as desired. The stop means 22 is activated by placing member 30 in the bottom socket and rendered inoperative by placement of the member 30 in the top socket.

It should be noted that applications of this invention may be varied dependent upon the specific environment in which it is utilized. For example, it may be desirable to utilize only one socket wherein the stop apparatus is rendered inoperative by placement of the member 30 therein. The socket is attached to the moulding 20 with the distance between the attaching member 32 and the socket ring when the door is fully opened being less than the extended length of support 28. In such usage, when member 30 is seated within socket 34, door 10 may be fully opened and closed Without any activation of stop means 22.

When the door 10 is open, member 30 is manually removed from the socket 34 and dropped to the operative position interposed between the edge 16 and the frame 12. When the door 10 is fully closed, member 30 is manually removed from the socket 34 and dropped to assume the operative position resting against the face of the door 10 and the moulding 20 as illustrated in FIGURE 6. When the door 10 is opened, inasmuch as member 30 is free to pendulate about attaching member 32, the force of gravity upon the member 30 will tend to urge into a position disposed between the edge 16 and the frame 12 thereby preventing complete enclosure of the door 12.

The variation finds application in instances where the door 10 is generally kept open and it is not necessary to have the stop means in an activated position when occupants are within the room and the door is fully closed.

FIGURE 7 is illustrative of another embodiment of the present invention indicating an alternative configuration of member 30. As shown, member 30 comprises cup 58 having central aperture 60 and oriented with the opening of cup 58 facing downward, and cup 62 having an outside diameter slightly larger than the inside diameter of cup 58 invertedly forced within cup 58. An adhesive maybe placed on the periphery of cup 62 to insure engagement of the two cups. Prior to engagement of the cups, the bottom end of support member 28 is inserted through aperture 60 and a knot tied thereat to effectuate the suspension of member 30'. The inner diameter of ring 46 s slightly larger than the outer diameter of cup 62 so that member 30' rests within socket 34 as shown.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in 1ts broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the ap claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of this invention. What is claimed is:

1. Door stop apparatus for attachment relative to a door frame and to a door hinged at one edge thereof to such frame, comprising:

obstruction means having a normal position between said door edge and said door frame for preventing complete closure of said door;

support means connected to said obstruction means for supporting said obstruction means in the region of said door edge and said door frame;

said obstruction means being manually movable to a position diifering from said normal position whereby said door may be completely closed with respect to said door frame, said obstruction means being responsive to the force of gravity for causing said obstruction means to automatically return to its said normal position upon the opening of said door; and

retainer means secured to said door frame in said region whereby said obstruction means may be manually moved into a position of engagementwith said retainer means for preventing said obstruction means from attaining its normal position during movement of such door. I 2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said retainer means is locatable in a plurality of positions, all of such plural positions permitting secondary support thereby of said obstruction means, at least one of said positions permitting automatic disengagement of said obstruction means with respect to said retainer means upon opening of said door whereby saidobstruction means will automatically attain its normal gravity-responsive position, and at least one other of such positions preventing disengagement of said obstruction means from said retainer means during all positional variations of position between said door edge and said door frame for preventing complete closure of said door in relation to said frame;

a flexible support member having a first end attached to said door edge and a second end attached to said obstruction means for supporting said obstruction means in the region of said door edge and said door frame;

retainer means secured to said door frame in said region and having a socket whereby said obstruction means may be placed Within said socket for preventing said obstruction means from attaining its said normal positionduring all positional variations of said door; and

said socket being selectively movable in relation to said door frame to a plurality of positions, at least one of such positions being'such that the distance between said socket and said first end of said support member during all positional variations of said door is less than the length of said support member whereby said obstruction means when moved into engagement with said socket remains therein during all positional variations of said door, and at least one other of such positions being such that the distance between said socket and said first end is less than thelength of said support member when said door is fully closed to permit placement of said obstruction means within said socket and upon opening of said door the distance between said first end and said socket becomes greater than the length of said support member whereby said obstruction means is retracted from said socket by said support member and automatically attains its said normal position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,579,265 Welsh Apr. 6, 1926 2,526,616 Briggs Oct. 24, 1950' FOREIGN PATENTS 537,415 Germany Jan. 4, 1932 

1. DOOR STOP APPARATUS FOR ATTACHMENT RELATIVE TO A DOOR FRAME AND TO A DOOR HINGED AT ONE EDGE THEREOF TO SUCH FRAME, COMPRISING: OBSTRUCTION MEANS HAVING A NORMAL POSITION BETWEEN SAID DOOR EDGE AND SAID DOOR FRAME FOR PREVENTING COMPLETE CLOSURE OF SAID DOOR; SUPPORT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID OBSTRUCTION MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID OBSTRUCTION MEANS IN THE REGION OF SAID DOOR EDGE AND SAID DOOR FRAME; SAID OBSTRUCTION MEANS BEING MANUALLY MOVABLE TO A POSITION DIFFERING FROM SAID NORMAL POSITION WHEREBY SAID DOOR MAY BE COMPLETELY CLOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID DOOR FRAME, SAID OBSTRUCTION MEANS BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE FORCE OF GRAVITY FOR CAUSING SAID OBSTRUCTION MEANS TO AUTOMATICALLY RETURN TO ITS SAID NORMAL POSITION UPON THE OPENING OF SAID DOOR; AND RETAINER MEANS SECURED TO SAID DOOR FRAME IN SAID REGION WHEREBY SAID OBSTRUCTION MEANS MAY BE MANUALLY MOVED INTO A POSITION OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RETAINER MEANS FOR PREVENTING SAID OBSTRUCTION MEANS FROM ATTAINING ITS NORMAL POSITION DURING MOVEMENT OF SUCH DOOR. 